ゆめ　(YUME) Dreams can signify all sorts of things. The 初夢 HATSU YUME (the first dream of the New Year) has special significance. In old Japan people hoped to see ふじさん (Mount Fuji), たか (a hawk), or なす (an aubergine)🍆. These 3 things all symbolised good fortune.

In my 初夢 HATSUYUME of 2023 all I saw was my パスポート PASUPOUTO passport. Like all dreams, it didn’t make any sense. I could see the passport but I couldn’t find it anywhere. I woke in a panic, not a great welcome to 2023.

Hopefully, this dream symbolises I will get back to Japan this year, in the Autumn if all goes to plan.

Another New Year tradition in Japan is おおそうじ OO-SOUJI (Big clear up). Cleaning areas in the run up to New Year that you wouldn’t normally clean. I love the idea of OO-SOUJI, it’s just the reality of it that always breaks me.

My excuse this year was I had to change the lightbulbs　💡.  It took me 3 hours.  

店に行って、新しい電球を 買いました。　MISE NI ITTE, ATARASHII DENKYUU O KAIMASHITA. (I went to the shop and bought new lightbulbs).

I had more success with my attempt at ねんがじょう NENGAJOU (New Year Greeting Cards). As always I cheated by not sending proper cards. Sadly most Japanese no longer send physical cards either. Like me they mostly send texted or e-mail greetings. But the NENGAJOU tradition is a nice excuse to renew connections with people I haven’t seen in so long, and much easier than changing a halogen lightbulb.